“Failure to Protect”

[Jeff Ream]

4 hours ago, Bluzes said:

Been lurking here for a while since I stopped posting and most of the time you (regular posters) get things right for drum corps. This thread has hit all the hot buttons except honing in on the root cause, the high schools. Not much has changed here, some still calling for Dan's head while others defend. I stopped posting because I am just a fan and there are many that use drum corps as their livelihood and are the only ones that can right the ship, I was not doing any good.

What is needed is a grassroots effort at the high school level where these bad actors breed. If Dan needs to go then so does the Principal or School Superintendent if a teacher under them is accused of sexual misconduct.
See how fast the vetting and supervision changes, how much more is noted how many more students are taken seriously, removing Dan would not have this effect.

oh state licensing issues needs to be shared nationwide. Hell, so does health records. Kinda hard to answer questions about my medical history if i am in a coma in Texas and my doctor/healthcare provider is in PA

But the states fight sharing it, claiming privacy but it's really abut the lack of fees they'd get

[Jeff Ream]

3 hours ago, garfield said:

Well, OK, I'm not going to "Ream" this discussion.  I'll just let you and your crazy position hang out there where you want it.

Hopefully, one day you'll see that he didn't, in fact, stand by and do nothing.  That's your contention, and you made it up.

smh, but let's move on

if he was informed of credible information about abuse, and he did not report it, he did nothing.

And I am pretty sure what history will show

[BRASSO]

 I really do believe that the organizational structure of DCI is almost archaic and ineffectual at the moment. DCI HQ is not essentially a governing body at all of its members. Thats the fundamental problem here, imo. This does not absolve DCI HQ from potential legal liabilities here if crimes were alleged to have been committed under their watch, but they were negligent in how they handled that reporting to them once informed. I'm not saying that happened here, but its certainly on the minds of some.

 No court, nor  any Judge cares much what institutional structures and divisions of power and authority any organization sets up for itself. It applies its rulings on what they believe to be carelessness in the face of knowledge of harm or potential harm taking place in the organization. They customarily hold Directors, CEO's responsible for oversight, even if the organizational structure assigns power and authority to the lower ranks members. DCI can replace Dan A, and I believe they should. But until DCI redesigns in a major way its institutional structure to make DCI HQ a true Governing Body, where there is an arms length distance between that Governing Body and the Corps themselves, then the new Executive Director is bound to have the same problems down the road, in the future, that Dan A had, imo. In order to set up a major structural change in DCI, with more executive powers for enforcement of rulings at the top, ie the DCI HQ levels, it will require the member Corps to all agree to acquiesce to such assignment of more power and more authority to be levied at the HQ, level.  But Man, thats probably asking a lot for the Corps to agree to give up such powers to a centralized, Governing Body with teeth for making unilateral decisive decisions without membership say downstream. But that is what is fundamentally needed here nonetheless in my opinion.  A complete restructure of DCI, with more Governing Body oversight capacities at the HQ level of DCI. 

Edited December 15, 2018 by BRASSO

[DCIat14]

Prior to the #MeToo movement, there were very little resources for people who needed/wanted to speak out.  Times have changed since the inception of that movement & more is coming out now than ever as a result of it.  Is that to say these are all new claims?  Nope - they span multiple decades.  People just feel empowered to speak out now!  Let us not forget how different times were in the 70's, 80's, 90's...shoot, even Y2K!  Members should have always been safe, that is for sure.  None of this should have happened - I think (or hope) we can all agree on that!  The mere definition of sexual abuse has changed, as have gender roles, political focus, human rights, etc.  Change can be a very good thing, and is neither an excuse nor a reason to excuse any of the behavior, simply fact that we as a society have changed.  Yet to this day, prosecuting sexual cases continues to be humiliating & emotionally draining on the victim while the success rate is still ridiculously low.  

Here is another fact.  No environment is 100% safe from this type of disgusting behavior.  Even in schools, a place we would expect to be one of the safest places, it continues to not only occur, but thrive in some situations.  My MM had three school personnel excused this past year for actions such as this.  Disgusting & disheartening to say the least…but I continue to send my MM to school.  We have discussed school safety in depth at my house - too many scary situation not to.  However, the world continues to turn.  I know many on this board marched (I won't say ages ago :P) years ago & they may not have a dog in the fight, but there are many that do.  So  if we can't 100% protect members, what can we do?  Well, we can ensure we do our own due diligence in training, reporting, researching, hiring, etc.  Kind of a duh, but hey… Also, arming members with the tools they need to protect themselves.  This means ways of reporting, processes, empowerment, etc. AND encouraging parents to participate.  Corps currently have a lot of power - they can cancel contracts with members at the drop of a hat, they are self-governed, and the gossip train chugs along between corps.  Being involved could be key though as it helps bring outside influence & eyes to what can be a closed society.  Call me a helicopter parent, but I have loved being a part of my MM corps.  I bond with people, I hear/overhear things, and I get the general pulse of the corps.  …and yes, I volunteer for our local corps as well.    

Here is what I know.  My MM loves this activity almost more than life itself.  I would absolutely hate to see the activity completely shut down due to the horrid actions of a few.  Even the reporter commented how the relationships are often life-long.  These members, both past & present, are family.  Do we need change, yes.  Doomsday?  My heart begs for that not to be the case.

Oops...broke my soapbox 😛

 

 

 

 

[Bluzes]

2 hours ago, JimF-LowBari said:

Predators are everywhere. We’re seeing predators linked to schools because corps staff are mostly teachers. Pioneer had a predator who drove a bus so no school breeding connection there.

OK they are everywhere so why all the internal bleed, why beat each other up trying to find a solution within the activity. Whatever solution dci comes up with there will always be that preverbal bus driver that slips between the cracks. Dci is not alone here it needs stronger punishment from the school districts that breed these culprits. We are trying to protect our precious activity that by far does more good than bad from within and without putting pressure on the root cause the high schools and the bus drivers union if necessary.

The point is I feel your pain this activity is worth keeping and can be fixed. What's is a shame is there is not a BOA or US Bands Planet Fan Site where the real fires should be burning on this issue. Parents outraged for their schools hiring / keeping / protecting / ignoring the root cause. I read the article most of the bad things happened outside the 9 week tour. So much that I would worry more about the 9 months of school around these individuals than I would the 9 week tour with 200 other people in close proximity the majority of the time. 

[Bluzes]

35 minutes ago, Jeff Ream said:

oh state licensing issues needs to be shared nationwide. Hell, so does health records. Kinda hard to answer questions about my medical history if i am in a coma in Texas and my doctor/healthcare provider is in PA

But the states fight sharing it, claiming privacy but it's really abut the lack of fees they'd get

Agree dci is facing a uphill battle. Privacy yep my favorite subject, can't get medical info on loved ones because of HIPA, but my company was able to analyze my bodily fluids and get their info. Just surprised how BOA and the other band associations have their heads in the sand and seem to be pushing this off to a Drum Corps problem. They travel more than most DCA Corps these days and are 100% minors. 

[karuna]

5 hours ago, garfield said:

Well, OK, I'm not going to "Ream" this discussion.  I'll just let you and your crazy position hang out there where you want it.

Hopefully, one day you'll see that he didn't, in fact, stand by and do nothing.  That's your contention, and you made it up.

smh, but let's move on

 

I'll put aside any reaction to "you made it up" or  calling me "crazy".  Perhaps you're saying I'm lying or maybe that I'm delusional or maybe --  I don't know what.  Something not so nice in any case.  Interesting to see you felt it necessary to take those parting shots.  I won't reciprocate.

Sadly I'm not just making it up.   He had multiple opportunities to report suspected abuse to the appropriate authorities and did not.  

No amount of "corporate structure" or "job description" or "limits to authority" or any other sort of CYA will protect him from that simple fact.  

And even more sadly, his failure to step down now is causing even more harm to an activity with too many fires to put out already.  

[Weaklefthand4ever]

13 hours ago, Bucbari said:

Is this it?....Is this the end of Drum Corps as we know it?

I would hope not. My HOPE is that this is the beginning of Drum Corps as it should have always been. A performing youth organization dedicated to give kids a great performance and education experience and with the responsibility and power to protect them at every step.

[JimF-LowBari]

7 hours ago, Bluzes said:

OK they are everywhere so why all the internal bleed, why beat each other up trying to find a solution within the activity. Whatever solution dci comes up with there will always be that preverbal bus driver that slips between the cracks. Dci is not alone here it needs stronger punishment from the school districts that breed these culprits. We are trying to protect our precious activity that by far does more good than bad from within and without putting pressure on the root cause the high schools and the bus drivers union if necessary.

Can't figure out why the focus isn't 100% on getting rid of the scum either. I keep bringing up Penn State but live 2 hours away and see parallel after parallel. Another one is protecting the organization to the point that they can't see that the organization screwed things up or needs to be changed. Or they think that any criticism is attacking.

Every freaking day I see car magnets with JVP or 409 on them. Refers to Paternos initials and number of wins he used to have. Wonder if the person has them because they think Paterno was totally innocent or "how dare anyone think the school isn't perfect". And again the kids are ignored.

Edited December 15, 2018 by JimF-LowBari

[Weaklefthand4ever]

13 hours ago, karuna said:

As for "throwing the baby out with the bath water" ,  that's just not true.  DCI can find another CEO

You're 100% correct and I hope my statement of "throwing the baby out with the bath water" wasn't unintentionally misinterpreted. I made that statement regarding the cries of some to shut down DCI forever. That's not the answer.

I agree in my heart of hearts that it's time for DA to go. Even if there isn't a legal reason (and I'm not saying there isn't,) to do so, there could easily be a moral obligation. It's been said before. DA is not DCI. Change is needed at the top and whatever he specifically knew or did / didn't do, he's where the cut needs to start. I understand the statements of some that he has valuable knowledge regarding running a tour etc., but that's simply not something that can be allowed at this point. The good of the activity needs to stand above any individual.  

Edited December 15, 2018 by Weaklefthand4ever